Vehicle communications networks may be used to an increased extent in motor vehicles to interlink multimedia components. Such a vehicle communications network may be, for example, the MOST bus over which data may be exchanged among the multimedia components via optical cables. Such multimedia components may include, for example, a radio receiver, a CD player and a navigation unit. A bus manager may perform the administrative functions of the vehicle communications network, including recognition of new devices, for example. The devices of the vehicle communications network may be placed in various locations in the vehicle.